Americano Restaurant

One of my favorite places for after works drinks. My only surprise came when i ordered a Johnny Walker Black, $11. Oh well, very much worth it. I'm here once a week.

Posted 10/26/08

I like this place quite a bit. It is a great place to relax after work. It gets a sometimes full crowd, but everyone is very nice and it is easy to feel comfortable here.

Pros: Nice place

Cons: None!

Posted 01/18/08

I put this review on YELP! So I figured I put it on Citysearch too.
I have been going to Americano for over a year now on a regular basis. Usually with people from my office. I have to say I have had a lot of bad service. I understand it is because it is so busy all the time. I finally decided to write a review, not about bad service about good service. Everytime we get Hillary, as our waitress we are so well taken care of. Even if she can't get to us right away she lets us know she will be with us as soon as she can. I just wanted to say it is a nice change to being ignored or shunned by the rest of the service staff.
So, thank you Hillary!
If you go to Americano, try and find Hillary........you won't be dissapointed.

Pros: Hillary

Cons: Pricey

Posted 10/09/07

Americano is a great space with place to grab a drink, sit down and eat, or enjoy the outdoors. The food is decent, interesting selection, with a fun selection of deserts. The scene was not as exciting, mainly business suits, but if you bring your own crowd who cares right?! Bring your crew, grab a bite to eat, and head outdoors with your drinks and see the bay bridge all lighted up.

Posted 04/14/07

We needed to make a lunch reservation on short notice and Americano was one of the only available ones. I ordered the dine about town lunch and found the steak that they offered to be extremely tough and difficult to cut, let alone chew. A member of our party ordered the $15 burger and the bread was hard and abrasive. The Scharfen Berger chocolate pudding and prune ice cream helped to make up for previous short comings. For the prices, we expected something a little more impressive to the palate. Probably won't be back.

Posted 01/16/07

The atmosphere is nice but quite loud. The food there is generally good but one of the best items on the menu is the french fries, hands down.

Posted 11/22/06

The really enjoyed the atmosphere at Americano. The seats are very comfortable, and I like the modern space. The place certainly draws an attractive and trendy crowd. Service and food were good, but not great. I liked the soup and steak that I ordered, but they weren't much different from what I make at home, and there are some neighborhood restaurants that have better food at a lower price. But, higher prices are to be expected at this prime location. The ferry building and waterfront looked great out the window on a dark and slightly foggy night.

I was surprised the server did not keep pouring our wine - we had to do it ourselves. But otherwise, the service was friendly and well-timed. The hostess was especially friendly and warm.

Posted 11/16/06

Americano has a great bar scene with a crowded happy hour and a nice patio along the Embarcadero. But beyong the bar, Americano also has some serious dining. The bar has some inventive cocktails, includeing some great ones made with calvados. On a quiet evening, it is also a great place to grab a light bite, some chaucuterie, etc. The pizza is definitely interesting with a flaky crust, but the entrees are also solid. As an Italian-Cali restaurant, though, they seem to have very few pasta dishes on the evening I went, though. Overall, a great package in a gorgeous room in a cool hotel!

Posted 11/13/06

We waited in line for 40 minutes on a warm Friday evening to get into this place. There's a huge outdoors patio which was packed with a pretty decent 30+ after work crowd. If you're looking for a fun place on a nice night to hang out with your single friends, you might check this out.

Pros: fun happy hour

Cons: service understandably slow with this many people

Posted 09/23/06

Rude servers working the outdoor bar. I don't mind paying $13 for a decent glass of wine but please, the "talk-to-the-hand" attitude is SO out of place at this upscale restaurant where I've enjoyed the indoor part of it in the past. Where are the managers??

If the price of sipping al-fresco is to be ignored by a bad server, I'll get my fresh air elsewhere.

Pros: outdoor area in warm weather

Cons: poor service; chinszy wine pours for the $$

Posted 07/23/06

I've been here once just for drinks and once for dinner. It took almost 30 min to get a drink at the bar, after waiting outside to get in (at 6p). If you have reservations for dinner, they allow you to go inside. The food was average. Not a huge selection and nothing stood out on the menu. Had a great glass of pinot noir, but that was the highlight. The restuarant itself was not busy at all, however the waiter and busser came by at least 3 times during each course to try to remove items which we were not finished with.

Posted 07/20/06

We went there on a Monday nite for our anniversary. We got a quiet table away from the bigger crowds. Our waiter was very nice and considerate, he gave us great service without invading our private conversations. They gave us a special Hors D'oeuvre because one of us is vegetarian. They even comped our desserts because it was our anniversary.

Pros: great service, delicious food, great atmosphere

Posted 05/07/06

The ambiance of Americano really stands out. It's part of the gorgeous new Hotel Vitale on Embarcadero. We started out with a couple of their really inventive cocktails in their lounge. The couches were really comfy and the wood floors were really sleek. We started out with a really great pizza to share. It was their version of a "Margarita" pizza which had Jalapenos and cilantro. The crust was almost like a pie crust which made it really tasty and not too filling. I had the special for the evening which was an incredidle Mediterrean Sea Bass with a warm panzanella salad with heirloom market tomatoes. My date had the Pappardelle pasta which was really delicious as well. The server was attentive and she helped me choose a fantastic Italian wine to pair with our meal. Overall, this place is awesome. Great food, really cool ambiance, and sharp servers.

Posted 09/27/05

I was not impressed by the food. the menu wasn't anything special, the dishes were sort of greasier than i expected and i found the staff to be innattentive and rude. all in all, not worth going.

Posted 07/27/05

The food is seasonal Cal/Italian and very ahead itself. The food and wine menu offer a great value with professional service in a comfortable, yet casual atmosphere. What more could you ask for? However, although the pizzas were stellar, they seem to overwhelm the menu. Since I have tried everything on the menu, I usually get the 'daily special' because it seems to be the most creative and the most personal to the chef. Sat/Sun brunches are fabulous!! The food is the best I've had in San Francisco.

Pros: Service, Food, Gay friendly

Cons: none yet

Posted 07/18/05

I walked into the Americano on a Friday night for dinner last week and could not believe all people. My firend and I almost left, it was loud, but once we were seated in the dining room, the din subsided and we had a great meal. The chicken was awesome, the pizzas delicious, the appetizers were really good. The lobster ravioli was really good and the sorbet with proscecco was so refreshing. The server was really friendly and the wine selection was very affordable and diverse. I would go back, albiet on a less happening night!

Posted 07/15/05

A very attractive space with a very lively bar scene. Extremely loud. The restaurant part of the operation is mediocre at best - long waits between courses; stone cold food, unimaginative cuisine, and weird but still decent "pizzas". Great bread.

Pros: Location, Bay views

Cons: Loud, Long Waits, Food

Posted 07/14/05

I was excited to go to Americano for a fun dinner. What I got was less than mediocre food and very disappointing service. It also has boring, usual ambiance. Not recommended.

Posted 06/19/05

The food was mostly terrific, ambiance is sleek, but the service was the worst I've suffered in ages.

Apps were decent (nix the artichokes). Entrees were a hit. The 6 of us agreed that we'd come back for the pork alone...over and over again (assuming service will improve with different server). The lamb was very tasty (though too rare), atop scrumptious cous-cous. Desserts were all good.

The distinguishing disappointment was our waitress. She was impatient with us upon arrival, unhelpful when we had ?s re: the menu, & left us sitting for 20 minutes before taking orders. She never asked us how we wanted our lamb cooked, she refused to serve one of our guests a 3rd drink b/c she mistook his loud voice for drunkeness (we think...we can't be sure). The food was mostly spot on, but the service was so wrong.

Pros: Food, Location, Ambiance

Cons: Service

Posted 06/14/05

The location, view and decor are very nice and trendy. Unfortunately, the food was quite disappointing. Nothing here to write home about. Lacked distinct flavors. Also, Friday nights are not a good night to have dinner as it's very, very loud with the Friday after work drinkers.

Our server was nice and knowledgable. I would go to have drinks again but save your $'s and go somewhere else for dinner or appetizers.

Posted 06/05/05

I went there for lunch, the decor is very nice.
But I can summarized the food as trying to hard. It's not American, it's not Italian and it's not good American- Italian fusion. Everyone at my table were not impressed with their food at all.

Posted 05/20/05

Nice looking bar, dimly lit. Quick bartender with an easy smile, perfect margarita, very fresh. Courteous host when we checked in, but the girl who brought us to our table wasn't friendly and didn't smile. The table was simple, no tablecloths and cool, funky green chairs. Roasted peppers were tasty and sweetbreads were fantastic, but too many for a starter. Lobster ravioli was good, tuna was boring, w/pears? duck with risotto wasn't salty enough. Steak with wedgelike potatoes was exceptional but food should be lighter to allow more courses. Rabbit pappardelle was very tender and tasty. Service was great. Server was polite and friendly, sold us wine we'd never heard of (I don't usually like white, but I loved the choices) The ice cream sandwich was huge but delicious and we made it disappear. The food wasn't authentic Italian, but what started out as suspicion turned into a fabulous time.

Pros: Comfy Seating, Informative Service, Unique Wine List

Cons: Not Italian, busy, loud bar crowd, Portion Sizes too big

Posted 04/21/05

This place just opened in March and has created quite a buzz. The servers are well trained, confident and professional. The food is creative, fun and of really good quality. Americano offers an approachable wine list for all palletes and price ranges. Definitely try the artichoke appetizer, the margarita pizza and the chicken or duck entree. Desserts are also exceptional. The Icecream sandwich and Zeppole were stellar!

Pros: service, interior design, food

Posted 04/21/05

I eat out very often for work and for pleasure - and had an outstanding experience at the new restaurant Americano last night. The wine list was varied and had lots of great options in all price points - and for once, the staff all seemed well educated about what they offer. The food was very good as well - the asparagus appetizer and the duck entree were really delicious. The desserts were good, but not as outstanding as the rest of our food. Definitely a restaurant for the cool and hip crowd. Surprising service considering how new they are. We will be back!

Pros: great wine list, fun, good food

Cons: loud

Posted 04/20/05

This was a great dining experience. Prices are reasonable and the food is well worth it. The wine list is great. The menu is creative and the interior design creates a hip, luxurious and satisfying experience. I found the service attentive and friendly. The servers were well versed in their menus and were also able to give several suggestions that I was very pleased with. Americano is a great place for a drink after work and delicious dinner anytime. I would recommend it to all.

Pros: Food, Service, Ambience

Posted 04/19/05

Green garlic soup w/poached egg, toast, parmesan. Not that interesting even w/the egg and cheese. NY strip roulades (two) stuffed w/mushrooms, sauteed greens, grilled baby onions, fingerling potatoes. Steak was med rare as requested; filling dish. Slice of pizza from neighber had buttery/pastry like crust. Dessert was zeppole (freshly fried donut holes stuffed w/ricotta dusted w/sugar) w/three sauces, pistachio, caramel (least favorite, kinda citrusy), choc. Server was attentive; room warm w/wood, copper, lampshades. Round lounge to right; bar to left leads to dining room, open kitchen.

Pros: service, food

Posted 03/17/05